


The Nanny

by kitkatkaylie



Series: The Nanny and the Widow [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Catelyn is a Widow, F/M, Technically Pre Relationship at the moment, Theon is the pretty nanny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29474226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitkatkaylie/pseuds/kitkatkaylie
Summary: Catelyn loved all her children, they were her babies, her precious ones, her reason to keep on going some days when the grief and loneliness seemed too much. But her youngest three were almost certainly going to send her prematurely grey.Especially when they found it hard to keep a nanny for very long.
Relationships: Theon Greyjoy/Catelyn Tully Stark
Series: The Nanny and the Widow [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2164962
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19





	The Nanny

**Author's Note:**

> There will be future works in this series, probably

Catelyn had never thought she would be doing this. She had never thought that she would be a young widow, her husband dead and buried in his thirties, and with sixchildren to look after. 

Her eldest, Robb, he was very little trouble, the same with his cousin, Jon. The two of them acted like brothers, and other than occasionally convincing the rest of their school that they were actually twins, they generally stayed out of trouble.

Sansa was little trouble as well, she was a people pleaser, who worked hard in school, had a small group of close friends, and had a multitude of hobbies. No, she had always been Catelyn’s easiest child.

And then there were the other three.

Catelyn loved all her children, they were her babies, her precious ones, her reason to keep on going some days when the grief and loneliness seemed too much. But her youngest three were almost certainly going to send her prematurely grey.

Arya would pick fights with anyone if they let her, Bran had not yet seen a structure he didn’t want to climb, and Rickon was- Rickon was feral. 

She had hired countless nannies and babysitters and au pairs to try and help her with her children, but none had lasted very long.

The latest nanny had been Osha, who had lasted the longest, and Catelyn liked to believe that she would still be there if she hadn’t had a family emergency Beyond the Wall to attend to. But she had had the emergency, and she had decided to terminate her contract, and Catelyn was left without aid in caring for her brood. 

She had desperately sent out advertisements, and spoken to agencies, and had received a short list of those that might have been appropriate candidates for her to interview. 

Of the list she had chosen three, a young man from the North, a young man from the Iron Islands, and a girl from Dorne. 

She had high hopes for the Dornish girl in particular, for it would do her children good to experience the perspective of someone from such a different culture. The only problem she could currently foresee was that the girl only wanted to stay in the North for a year, which was not ideal in Catelyn’s mind. Her children needed stability of some form, the kind that came without having a different caregiver each month.

The first she interviewed was the Northerner. It was almost an immediate no for Ramsay Snow, as he terrified even Catelyn with his cold eyes. She could not shake the impression that something awful would happen if she left him alone with her babies. 

The second was supposed to be the Dornish girl, but Obara Sand had sent her apologies and said that she had already found a place in Essos. Catelyn did not blame her, she would have preferred to be in the warmth of Essos over the drizzle of the North as well.

She was still disappointed though, now she had to hope that the boy from the Iron Islands was any good, otherwise she’d be taking her family straight down to Riverrun to intrude on Edmure’s child wrangling and supervisory attempts.

But her first impression of Theon Greyjoy was positive at least, for he did not give her the impression he was contemplating murder as the other applicant had. 

“Mrs. Stark.” The young man, Theon, said as he took her hand and shook it, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

His green eyes met her own and a heat started to pool in her belly, “Likewise, Mr. Greyjoy.”

“Please, call me Theon.” He smiled at her, showing a flash of white teeth, “After all if I am successful then it is a name you will likely be hearing a lot.”

Catelyn swallowed. Hiring Theon would surely be a terrible idea, and yet- 

“Would you be able to confirm the details of your qualifications for me?” She said, hoping her voice was not truly as hoarse as it felt. 

Theon smiled again, “Of course, I have the paperwork right here. I’m first aid trained as well, have a driver’s licence, and was a lifeguard while I was in school.”

The first aid alone made him more qualified than a number of the applicants that had been sent Catelyn’s way in the past. 

She listened as he answered her questions about discipline, and scheduling, and how he would break up a fight between all six of the children. Really, it was an easy decision, and she could rest reassured that she was not just hiring him because he was pretty. 

“You’ll have to meet the children of course, but-“ Catelyn took a deep breath, “When can you start?”

* * *

For a brief moment there was blessed quiet in the house, her eldest four children were off at various clubs, Bran was out in the garden likely trying to find frogs, and Rickon was not screaming or shouting in an attempt to gain attention or to get his siblings in trouble.

All was calm.

A sharp wail split the air and Catelyn knew she had spoken too soon.

She pulled herself to her feet, set down her book and drink, and went to go find the cause of the noise. She was sure it was nothing serious, perhaps Bran had put a frog down Rickon’s shirt, or one of her babies had grazed their knees. 

“Shh,” A calm voice soothed from around the corner of the house, “There’s my brave little warrior. Let me see your knee now.”

So it was a grazed knee, Catelyn had thought so. And if the nickname was anything to go by then it was Rickon who had fallen. 

Slowly the sniffles started to stop, until there was just the occasional sniff or sob. 

Catelyn quieted her pace a little as she rounded the corner herself, she did not want to set Rickon’s crying off again, not when Theon had just calmed him downs 

She watched Theon bend over to pick up Rickon - only to check that Rickon felt safe with him and wasn’t hurt too badly! - and could not help but feel that it had been a good choice to hire him. 

Especially if he kept wearing tight jeans like those. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Find me on tumblr @istaricelebelasse


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